Join Bob Lenarduzzi, President of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, for a revealing look at the role of consumer engagement in sports. With the Whitecaps recent entry into Major League Soccer, the club has plans to grow its ticket base from 5,000 to 20,000 seats. It’s an aggressive target, but the sports industry has always had to be leaders in consumer engagement. Learn from the Whitecaps successful (and not-so-successful) experiences; and see how their engagement philosophies can apply to non-sports brands.

Bob LenarduzziPresident

Bob has been involved with the Vancouver Whitecaps franchise for over three decades, excelling as a player, coach, general manager, director of soccer operations and now in his current role as President.

Playing with his hometown Whitecaps (1974-1984), Bob was the North American Soccer League’s all-time leader in games played, with 312. He was the only Canadian to win the North American Player of Year, and in 1979 he was a key member of the Whitecaps NASL Soccer Bowl championship-winning team.

He has represented Canada 47 times as a player, helping them qualify for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico. International media voted Bob Lenarduzzi among CONCACAF’s top 30 players of the century. As a player/coach he won four straight Canadian Soccer League championships and was twice named CSL coach of the year. He went on to coach Canada’s men’s national team from 1992 to 1997.

Bob served as the general manager and director of soccer operations of the Vancouver 86ers and Whitecaps from 1988 to 1993, and 1998 to 2007, receiving the USL First Division Executive of the Year award in 2000. Bob is a member of the United Soccer Leagues First Division Executive Committee. Bob was also a member of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 Steering Committee.